Why does the Tackle Box.....

[Capt Skup]

Smell like a swamp? Been stinking for many years but it is even worse these days. Doesn't look like the owner has put a nickel into the business in the last 25 years. I think the locals get numb to the crappy outdoor stores down here. Go to Georgia and visit a few stores and you will realize how poorly the consumer is served around here.

 

[bohman]

I went in there last week to get the kids their first rods, and we hadn't made it more than 2 steps inside when my daughter wrinkled her nose and said "it smells funny in here".

If you want to buy bait at a classy joint, you'll have to look elsewhere. Remember to gas up the car first though, because I don't think we have anything that fits that description in St. Mary's.

 

[somd_mustangs]

The phrase "buy bait at a classy joint" seems a little, well, funny in and of itself
I guess I just don't notice the smell anymore, was in there last week for awhile poking around and it didn't register.

 

[deMontjoie]

Buying Bait at a Classy Joint?

The phrase "buy bait at a classy joint" seems a little, well, funny in and of itself
I guess I just don't notice the smell anymore, was in there last week for awhile poking around and it didn't register.

Lew's Rod & Reel in Havelock, NC.

Bait shop out front, run by a 6'5" retired Gunny.

Baseball card shop in the middle, run by his son.

Japanese restaurant in the back, run by Lew's 5'0" wife who he married in Japan. The BEST darned Japanese food and sushi/sashimi that I've ever eaten. And also the most inexpensive.

When a buddy of mine asked Lew: "Hey Lew, what goes bad first, the bait or the sushi?" Lew simply responded (in his best GYSGT deadpan): "Yes."

P.S. The Tackle Box is a decent place -- I've never noticed the funky smell but maybe that is just me. Fair prices for ammo and a good supply of accessories. I agree that their asking prices for new firearms are high. Their counter-help is helpful and knowledgeable if you are being helped by Joe Tippet or the older gent. Otherwise the quality of help is spotty. JWM

 

[rseymorejr]

Lew's Rod & Reel in Havelock, NC.

Bait shop out front, run by a 6'5" retired Gunny.

Baseball card shop in the middle, run by his son.

Japanese restaurant in the back, run by Lew's 5'0" wife who he married in Japan. The BEST darned Japanese food and sushi/sashimi that I've ever eaten. And also the most inexpensive.

When a buddy of mine asked Lew: "Hey Lew, what goes bad first, the bait or the sushi?" Lew simply responded (in his best GYSGT deadpan): "Yes."

P.S. The Tackle Box is a decent place -- I've never noticed the funky smell but maybe that is just me. Fair prices for ammo and a good supply of accessories. I agree that their asking prices for new firearms are high. Their counter-help is helpful and knowledgeable if you are being helped by Joe Tippet or the older gent. Otherwise the quality of help is spotty. JWM

A combination bait shop/ sushi restaurant makes perfect sense to me.
When the bait starts to turn raise the price and sell it as sushi!

 

[PIT BULL]

So basically " You have licked once you get past the smell"

 

[somd_mustangs]

I realize it's a popular sport here to bust TB's chops but I've never had a bad experience there (I know others haven't been so lucky). Every used gun I've gotten there has been a fair value, and some were super deals. The only new gun I bought, yeah, it was at MSRP. No shame in that. But I walked out with it in a few minutes instead of spending hours finding one on the 'net and all the hassles and expense of a transfer to save $50 or so. Now if it was a $300 savings on the other hand... sure, I would have looked elsewhere. No big deal.

 

[somd_mustangs]

So basically " You have licked once you get past the smell"

not sure what that means, and not sure I want to know

 

[Streetgang]

TB isn't so bad. They had a girl (It was hard to tell) who worked there a couple years ago who was about as rude as they come but otherwise it's not too bad. Prices aren't anything to write home about and used guns are either a good deal or way over priced (consignments).
Caveat, I've got a friend who works there and he's one of only a few I'll deal with.

 

[Vile Shadow]

The Tackle Box is a decent place -- I've never noticed the funky smell but maybe that is just me. Fair prices for ammo and a good supply of accessories. I agree that their asking prices for new firearms are high. Their counter-help is helpful and knowledgeable if you are being helped by Joe Tippet or the older gent. Otherwise the quality of help is spotty. JWM

I couldn't help but laugh at the NJ-compliant HBAR, without that dangerous bird cage on the end of the barrel, at the affordable price of $1,599.

 

[Bertfish]

My buddy that lives in Lexington Park has told me that the shop often has interesting firearms in stock but is pretty darn pricey

 

[RoboRay]

Everything is higher priced than everywhere else in St Mary's, but sometimes the other places just don't have what you need.

 

[bohman]

I realize it's a popular sport here to bust TB's chops but I've never had a bad experience there (I know others haven't been so lucky). Every used gun I've gotten there has been a fair value, and some were super deals. The only new gun I bought, yeah, it was at MSRP. No shame in that. But I walked out with it in a few minutes instead of spending hours finding one on the 'net and all the hassles and expense of a transfer to save $50 or so. Now if it was a $300 savings on the other hand... sure, I would have looked elsewhere. No big deal.

I hope I didn't give the wrong impression, I'm not busting on them. The store smells like a bait shop, because it's a bait shop. That's what I expect it to smell like. Didn't bother me or the kids, and we got better first-time rods & reels for the kids than the push-button crappy ones at Walmart or Target. There's nothing like giving a kid a reel that turns into a rat's nest to turn them off fishing forever.

I do remember a lot of debate here a few years ago about whether they were doing a good enough job to secure the firearms at night, after a rash of burglaries resulted in one of their guns being used in a local murder. That's a complicated issue and I don't want to blame the victim of the burglaries for the end result. But it hasn't happened (to my knowledge) in a few years now, so maybe they did take more steps to prevent that.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Overall , there is a high probabability that a Bait Shop will smell like a Bait Shop.

As noted new mdse is MSRP-ish, used runs the gamit from pretty decent to top dollar. They do have a bigger than usual selection of *interesting* used items.

 

[byf43]

Overall , there is a high probabability that a Bait Shop will smell like a Bait Shop.

As noted new mdse is MSRP-ish, used runs the gamit from pretty decent to top dollar. They do have a bigger than usual selection of *interesting* used items.

I haven't been in The Tackle Box since the early '80s.

(I don't think I've missed anything.......)

 

[Capt Skup]

I don't smell bait in there, I smell mold, like the place has some serious issues with structural integrity. maybe that is how the burglars get in so easy. I was surprised to learn that at night the guns are not locked up, at least the handguns. Gun stores in Jax, Fl I use to visit had large safes near the counters that all the guns were stored in at night or when they were closed. Being Maryland, I thought that rule would apply here, too.

 

[spclopr8tr]

I wander in occasionally and usually leave empty handed. Last time I was in there I asked about their pricing policy on new handguns. I was told they simply charge MSRP. I can ALWAYS do better than that trolling Gun Broker, Grabagun, or any number of on line retailers even factoring in shipping and transfer fees. I typically buy cleaning supplies there as they have a pretty good selection short of driving to the nearest Bass Pro Shop. While I have bought some .22 when they had some, I find the rest of the ammo more expensive than about any other local shop that sells ammo.

 

[outrider58]

A combination bait shop/ sushi restaurant makes perfect sense to me.
When the bait starts to turn raise the price and sell it as sushi!

I was thinking the same thing

 

[El Patron Grande]

Lew's Rod & Reel in Havelock, NC.

Bait shop out front, run by a 6'5" retired Gunny.

Baseball card shop in the middle, run by his son.

Japanese restaurant in the back, run by Lew's 5'0" wife who he married in Japan. The BEST darned Japanese food and sushi/sashimi that I've ever eaten. And also the most inexpensive.

When a buddy of mine asked Lew: "Hey Lew, what goes bad first, the bait or the sushi?" Lew simply responded (in his best GYSGT deadpan): "Yes."

P.S. The Tackle Box is a decent place -- I've never noticed the funky smell but maybe that is just me. Fair prices for ammo and a good supply of accessories. I agree that their asking prices for new firearms are high. Their counter-help is helpful and knowledgeable if you are being helped by Joe Tippet or the older gent. Otherwise the quality of help is spotty. JWM

El Patron Grande says:

So let me see if I get this straight, what you don't eat you just attach to your hook?

 

[deMontjoie]

El Patron Grande says:

So let me see if I get this straight, what you don't eat you just attach to your hook?

Yep -- pretty much.

Or vice-versa.